Ladder.



FRED'A. CREED, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 24, 1913.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

Serial No. 763,444.

To all clio/a it may conce/rr. f

Be it known that I, Fimo A. CREED, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Francisco. in the county of 'San Francisco, State` ofCaliforniaj have invented certain new and useful Improvements VinLadders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it ap-pertains to make and use the same.

This invention is directed to improvements in ladders particularlyadapted for use in connection with upper berths of cars or vessels.

The invention has for its object to so construct a device o-f thischaracter that the same may be easily and quickly suspended from theupper berth so that a passenger may conveniently enter the same.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a ladder of thistype which may be compactly folded when not in use, so that the samewill occupy a minimum amount of space.

Vith these and other objects in view, this invention resides in thenovel features of construction, formation, combination and arrangementof parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustratedin the accompanying drawing, in which z Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe device in its unfolded position. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same.Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device in its folded position` Fig. f1is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough. Fig. 5 is a sectionalview on line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a similar view on line 6 6 of Fig.2.

The ladder comprises upper and lower sections 1 and 2, respectively, theupper section comprises side bars 3, the upper ends of which areconnected by a transverse bar i1, the ends of which are provided withright angle extensions which coact with the similar extension 6 formedupon the upper ends of t-he side b-ars 3 to form catches 7, the purposeof which will appear later. Secured` to the transverse bar d are hooksS, which are adapted to detachably engage the side rail of the usualupper berth.

The lower section consists of side bars 9 which have their upper endshingedly connected to the bars 3 of the upper section, as indicated at10, the lower ends of the bars 9 being connected by a strip 11, whichholds the lower ends thereof in rigid spaced relation. Hingedlyconnected to the side bars 9 is a step 1Q, the movement of which islimited in one direction by brackets 13 which are secured to the sidebars 9 so as to hold the step in a. horizontal position. A step 14 ishingedly connected near the lower ends of the bars 3 of the uppersection, said step being of less width than the step 12. Hingedlyconnected to the side bars 3 and above the step 14 is a step 15, thesame being of less width than the steps 14 and 12. Pivotally connectedto the ends of the steps 11 and 15 are bars 1G the lower ends of whichare curved, as indicated at 17, and extend below the step 14, while theupper ends of said bars extend above the step 15. Pivoted to the ends ofthe step 12 are the lower ends of the bars 18, the upper curved ends 19of which are pivotally connected to the curved lower ends of the bars1G.

To fold the ladder it is only necessary to swing the step 15 toward thebars 3, whereupon strain will be applied to the bars 16 and 1S therebycausing the steps 12 and lat to fold against the bars 3 and 9,respectively, and simultaneous with the folding of the step 15,whereupon the sections 1 and 2 are folded back to back, and at whichtime the upper ends of the bars 16 engage the catches 7.

lVhat is claimed is 1. A ladder of the class described, comprising upperand lower sections, said sections being hingedly connected, steps hingedto the sections, upper and lower bars connected to the steps and havingtheir meeting ends pivotally connected, whereby when one step is foldedthe others will be simultaneously folded.

2. A ladder of the class described comprising hingedly connectedsections, steps hingedly connected to the sections, bars pivotallyconnected to the ends of the Steps having their meeting` ends pivotallyconnected, means carried by one of the sect-ions for engaging the upperends of the bars when the sections are folded.

3. A ladder of the class described cornprising upper and lower sections,said sections being hingedly connected, steps hingedly connected to theupper section, a step similarly connected to the lower section, barspivotally connected to the ends of the steps carried by the uppersection, bars having their lower ends pivotally connected i'st namedbars when the sections are folded l0 back to back.

In testimony Wheneof I affix my signature in the presence of twoWitnesses.

FRED A. CREED.

to the step carried by the lower section, said bars having their upperends pivote-ily connected to the first named bars, whereby when theuppermost step of the upper sect-ion is folded the remaining Steps Willbe simultaneously folded sind the pivotal connection of the bars arealined with the hinged coni W'itnesses:

neotion of the sections, means Carried by the CHARLES R. HOLTOW7 uppei1section to enga-ge certain ends of the i ALBERT POUND.

Copies of this patent may 'be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

